When the top U.S. commander in Iraq goes before a House panel today, he'll tell lawmakers thousands of roops will come home by the end of next month.

In prepared testimony obtained by the Associated Press, General Ray Odierno says the troop presence over the next month will be
about 120,000, about 4,000 smaller than now, which is the size of an Army brigade.

Odierno tells lawmakers monthly attacks are down sharply, from more than 4,000 in August 2007, to about 600 last month. And he
says far fewer al-Qaida and foreign fighters remain in Iraq.

But Odierno predicts several looming problems in Iraq even as the U.S. prepares to end combat missions next year.

- Associated Press